Wendy McMahon named new president, ABC Owned Television Stations Group

Wendy McMahon has been appointed to the position of president, ABC Owned Television Stations Group, it was announced today by Ben Sherwood, co-chairman, Disney Media Networks and president, Disney|ABC Television Group. In this role, which was previously held by Rebecca Campbell who was recently named president, The Walt Disney Company EMEA, Ms. McMahon will report directly to Mr. Sherwood and have chief management responsibility for the eight ABC owned television stations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh-Durham and Fresno, effective Jan. 1, 2018.

In making the announcement, Mr. Sherwood said, “Wendy combines a deep understanding of the power of broadcast television, a passion for digital media and a broad vision for the future of local. She is a high-impact leader who delivers results and inspires the best from those who work around her. I am excited for our Owned Television Stations Group and for the contribution Wendy will make to our senior leadership team.”

Ms. McMahon added “I am passionate about the value and importance of local and am eager to work even more closely with Ben, the senior leaders at Disney|ABC and our incredible local station teams. Rebecca Campbell and the management of each of our owned stations have done an outstanding job of modernizing our brands and growing our business. I look forward to expanding on that positive momentum and leading the innovation that will help our stations rise to new heights.”

For the past several years, Ms. McMahon served as senior vice president, Digital for the ABC Owned Stations Group where she was responsible for the digital content, product/technology and audience development strategies, and initiatives for the ABC Owned Television Stations. In that role, she oversaw the group’s adoption of data-driven, mobile-first video strategies that drove historical growth and market leadership in on-platform video metrics as well as social reach and engagement. She also led the creation of a local-branded content studio to extend the group’s content and distribution capabilities to premium partners. Prior to being named to that role in June 2015, Ms. McMahon was vice president of Creative Services and Programming at KABC, the ABC owned television station in Los Angeles, California.

Earlier in her career, she served as the director of Creative Services for CBS Owned and Operated Television Stations in Boston, Massachusetts, and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Ms. McMahon graduated summa cum laude from Louisiana State University with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication.